How to Help Loved Ones with Antisocial Personality Disorder
Learn about antisocial personality disorder., Suggest treatment., Encourage psychotherapy., Suggest a support group., Avoid threatening to get your loved one to go to treatment., Be prepared for any reaction.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn about antisocial personality disorder.
One way to help your loved one and encourage treatment is to learn as much about the disorder as you can.
People with antisocial personality disorder often seem to disregard or violate others, fail to adhere to rules and social norms, and have no remorse.Those with antisocial personality disorder are often deceitful and manipulative.
They lie, steal, or con people for their gain.
They often are impulsive, reckless, and aggressive, which leads to fights.
Talk to a doctor or therapist about antisocial personality disorder, or search online or buy books to read about the disorder. -
Step 2: Suggest treatment.
Due to the nature of antisocial personality disorder, many people with the condition won’t seek treatment.
You can try to suggest that your loved one get help for their personality disorder.
Explain that you care about them and want them to get help for their behavior.Many people with this disorder will only seek treatment if forced to by a court system.
Because one of the symptoms of ASPD is a suspicion and dislike of authority figures, often the person sees a therapist or doctor as an authority figure they can’t trust.
This leads to a bad relationship.
Try saying, “I care about you, and your behavior has started to worry me.
I think you would benefit from medical treatment.” , Psychotherapy is the most common treatment for antisocial personality disorder.
In therapy, the therapist will work with the person to set goals, improve relationships, and develop coping skills.
Therapy will also address your loved one’s feelings or lack of feelings, along with their antisocial tendencies.Therapy may also work on trying to connect behavior with feelings or emotions. , Support groups can be very helpful if your loved one finds the right support group.
The support group should be focused specifically on antisocial behavioral disorder.
This will give your loved one a chance to connect with others going through similar situations and share their experiences.In a support group not tailored specifically to ASPD, your loved one may remain detached and emotionally distant.
Some support groups can turn into places where they reinforce negative behavior, like talking about how to engage in criminal behavior.
Talk to your loved one’s doctor or a local hospital to try and find a group in your area.
You can also search online for a support group in your area. , Your loved one may not want to go to treatment, even after you have tried to convince them to.
If this is the case, don’t try to threaten the person to make them seek treatment.
This will only push a person with ASPD further away and make them more resistant.You may feel tempted to give your loved one threats like you will tell the court they are not in compliance with their orders if they don’t go to therapy.
Instead of threatening, try to help your loved one come up with reasons to continue or start treatment.
You may explain that if they go to treatment that they have a better chance of getting out of trouble with the legal system and not going to jail again. , People with personality disorders often have trouble accepting that they have a disorder.
Someone with antisocial personality disorder may have particular problems with this idea due to the nature of the disorder.
When you approach a person with ASPD about treatment, be prepared for any response.Some people may not know they have a problem, so you may have to provide examples of their behaviors.
Others may be in denial or refuse to believe there is a problem.
Some people with ASPD may be resistant or angry if you bring up the possibility that they have a personality disorder. -
Step 3: Encourage psychotherapy.
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Step 4: Suggest a support group.
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Step 5: Avoid threatening to get your loved one to go to treatment.
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Step 6: Be prepared for any reaction.
Detailed Guide
One way to help your loved one and encourage treatment is to learn as much about the disorder as you can.
People with antisocial personality disorder often seem to disregard or violate others, fail to adhere to rules and social norms, and have no remorse.Those with antisocial personality disorder are often deceitful and manipulative.
They lie, steal, or con people for their gain.
They often are impulsive, reckless, and aggressive, which leads to fights.
Talk to a doctor or therapist about antisocial personality disorder, or search online or buy books to read about the disorder.
Due to the nature of antisocial personality disorder, many people with the condition won’t seek treatment.
You can try to suggest that your loved one get help for their personality disorder.
Explain that you care about them and want them to get help for their behavior.Many people with this disorder will only seek treatment if forced to by a court system.
Because one of the symptoms of ASPD is a suspicion and dislike of authority figures, often the person sees a therapist or doctor as an authority figure they can’t trust.
This leads to a bad relationship.
Try saying, “I care about you, and your behavior has started to worry me.
I think you would benefit from medical treatment.” , Psychotherapy is the most common treatment for antisocial personality disorder.
In therapy, the therapist will work with the person to set goals, improve relationships, and develop coping skills.
Therapy will also address your loved one’s feelings or lack of feelings, along with their antisocial tendencies.Therapy may also work on trying to connect behavior with feelings or emotions. , Support groups can be very helpful if your loved one finds the right support group.
The support group should be focused specifically on antisocial behavioral disorder.
This will give your loved one a chance to connect with others going through similar situations and share their experiences.In a support group not tailored specifically to ASPD, your loved one may remain detached and emotionally distant.
Some support groups can turn into places where they reinforce negative behavior, like talking about how to engage in criminal behavior.
Talk to your loved one’s doctor or a local hospital to try and find a group in your area.
You can also search online for a support group in your area. , Your loved one may not want to go to treatment, even after you have tried to convince them to.
If this is the case, don’t try to threaten the person to make them seek treatment.
This will only push a person with ASPD further away and make them more resistant.You may feel tempted to give your loved one threats like you will tell the court they are not in compliance with their orders if they don’t go to therapy.
Instead of threatening, try to help your loved one come up with reasons to continue or start treatment.
You may explain that if they go to treatment that they have a better chance of getting out of trouble with the legal system and not going to jail again. , People with personality disorders often have trouble accepting that they have a disorder.
Someone with antisocial personality disorder may have particular problems with this idea due to the nature of the disorder.
When you approach a person with ASPD about treatment, be prepared for any response.Some people may not know they have a problem, so you may have to provide examples of their behaviors.
Others may be in denial or refuse to believe there is a problem.
Some people with ASPD may be resistant or angry if you bring up the possibility that they have a personality disorder.
About the Author
Jean Collins
A passionate writer with expertise in creative arts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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